Hand bag with integrated fingerprint lock and zipper and/or flap closure

ABSTRACT

A hand bag having providing an open top has a zipper for closing the open top and has a tab for connecting to a fingerprint lock mounted on the hand bag.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/241,313, filed Jan. 7, 2019, entitled Hand Bag With IntegratedFingerprint Lock and Zipper and/or Flap Closure, now allowed, which is acontinuation in part of U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/665,253,filed Oct. 1, 2018, now issued as U.S. Design patent No. D863,758, andU.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/671,327, filed Nov. 26, 2018, nowissued as U.S. Design patent No. D965,291.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The instant invention relates to an improvement in hand bag designs.More particularly, the instant invention relates to a hand bag, such apurse, wallet, tote, clutch, concealment bag, or wallet, for example,having an improved locking structure.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The prior art includes various types of bags with locking mechanisms.More recently, these bags have included biometric features. One suchprior example is CN201806072 directed to a wallet with fingerprintidentification technique to prevent the theft wherein the walletcomprises a wallet purse body, an opening of the body is provided withan electronic wallet lock, the electronic lock connected to acontroller, the controller connected to fingerprint lock and a buzzerand power source. The battery is a button battery. When the wallet isopened if the authorized fingerprint is not met, then an alarm sounds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object to improve on the design of fingerprint lock bags. Anobject is to improve on antitheft hand bag design.

Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention is directed to a hand baghaving a bottom, sides connected to and extending from the bottom toprovide forming a container with an open top. A zipper connects to theopen top in a manner to enable closure of the top. The zipper has an endpull tab with a locking loop extending therefrom.

In another embodiment, one of the sides can preferably include anelongated upper end forming a flap which can fold over the open top andlay over a front face of an opposing side. The flap includes tab with alocking loop extending inwardly toward the face of the opposing side.

Integrally connected to the hand bag is a fingerprint lock having ahousing with a front plate having a first opening for exposing afingerprint identifying pad operably disposed in the housing and asecond opening for receiving the locking loop therethrough, a poweroperated locking mechanism having a moving pin operably disposed in thehousing which actuates the pin between a closed position below thesecond opening to lock the locking loop and an open positionsufficiently disposed with respect to the second opening to not retainthe locking loop when inserted through the second opening. A battery isoperably disposed in the housing and connected to the powered operatedlocking mechanism.

The front plate has a back side formed with a plurality of threadedapertures and the housing has a complementary number of aperturesthrough which mounting screws are inserted in a manner and through thehousing on an inner side of the hand bag and through the hand bag tosecurely connect to the threaded apertures of the front plate tosandwich about a portion of the hang bag and secure the lock in placesuch that when the zipper fully closes the open top, the locking loopmay be inserted into the second opening to enable the pin to movetherethrough and lock the zipper in a closed position.

A controller is operably disposed in the housing and connected to thefingerprint pad and power operated locking mechanism for closing theopening and closing the pin based on a preprogrammed fingerprintidentification being met. The handbag can preferably include a cut-proofmaterial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a part of the hand bag of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is another front perspective view with a lock in explodedrelation to the hand bag in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of an assembled embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a cut-away back perspective illustrating a housing part of thelock inside a hand bag of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a fingerprint lock of the inventionin a locked mode.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a fingerprint lock of the inventionin an unlocked mode.

FIG. 7 illustrates front perspective of another embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 8 is a back view of the embodiment in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9 is a right side elevation end view of the embodiment in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 10 is a left side of the embodiment in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 11 is a top view of the embodiment in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the embodiment in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 13 illustrates front perspective of still another embodiment of theinvention. FIG. 14 is a back view of the embodiment in FIG. 13 .

FIG. 15 is a right side elevation end view of the embodiment in FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a left side of the embodiment in FIG. 13 .

FIG. 17 is a top view of the embodiment in FIG. 13 .

FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the embodiment in FIG. 13 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, the hand bag with integrated fingerprintlock and zipper is generally referred by the numeral 10, where likeparts are referenced with like numerals.

The hand bag 10 has a bottom 12, sides 14, wherein it is contemplatedthat the side could be connectively one or more piece(s), which connectto and extending from the bottom 12. The sides 14 and interconnect toeach other and provide an open top 16. A zipper 18 connects to the opentop 16 in a manner to enable closure of the top 16. The zipper 18 hastwo mating portions 20 and 22, a fixed end 24 and an openable end 26. Apull tab 28 is provided on zipper 18 for opening and closing the twomating portions 20 and 22 and has a locking loop 30 extending therefrom.

In another embodiment, one of the sides 148 can preferably include anelongated upper end 148′ forming a flap which can fold over the open top16 and lay over a front face of an opposing side 14C. The flap 148′includes tab 28′ with a locking loop extending inwardly toward the faceof the opposing side 14C.

Integrally connected to the hand bag 10 is a fingerprint lock 40 havinga housing 42 with a removable front plate 44. The front plate 44 has afirst opening 46 for exposing a fingerprint identifying pad 48 operablydisposed in the housing 42 and a second opening 50 for receiving thelocking loop 30 of the pull tab 28 therethrough. A power operatedlocking mechanism 52 has a moving pin 54 operably disposed in thehousing 42 which actuates the pin 54 between a closed position below thesecond opening 50 to lock the locking loop 30 and an open positionsufficiently disposed with respect to the second opening 50 to notretain the locking loop 30 when inserted through the second opening 50.A battery 56 is operably disposed in the housing 42 and connected to thepowered operated mechanism 52.

The front plate 44 has a back side 45 formed with a plurality ofthreaded apertures 47 and the housing 24 has a complementary number ofapertures 25 through which mounting screws 60 are inserted in a mannerand through the housing 42 on an inner surface of side 14A of the handbag 10 and through respective holes 62 of the hand bag 10 to securelyconnect to the threaded apertures 47 of the front plate 44 to sandwichabout a portion of side 14A of the hang bag 10 and secure the lock 40 inplace. The lock 40 is disposed on the hand bag 40 such that when thezipper 18 fully closes the open top 16, the locking loop 30 of tab 28may be inserted into the second opening 50 to enable the pin 54 to movetherethrough and lock the zipper 18 in a closed position.

A controller 70 is operably disposed in the housing 42 and connected tothe fingerprint pad 48 and power operated mechanism 52 for closing theopening and closing the pin 54 based on a preprogrammed fingerprintidentification being met. A battery 56 is operably disposed in thehousing 42 and connected to the controller 70 and powered operatedmechanism 52. As seen in the embodiment seen in FIG. 7 , the hand bag 10can include a carrying strap 72 and a flap 74 covering the zipper 18,which could be several as seen in FIG. 13 .

The handbag 10 can preferably include a cut-proof material. The instantclaims are not to be overly limited by the above description. Rather,the claims appended hereto should be given the scope of protection tocover those modifications, improvements and derivations readily apparentto those skilled in the art.

1.-9. (canceled)
 10. A hand bag with a fingerprint lock, comprising: abottom and a plurality of sides that together define a container,wherein the plurality of sides comprise a front side and a back sideopposite the front side, the plurality of sides connected to andextending from the bottom and interconnecting to provide the containerwith an open top; an elongated upper end forming a flap which extendsfrom the back side and folds over the open top so as to lay over atleast a portion of the front side, wherein the flap comprises a tabhaving a locking loop extending inwardly toward a face of the frontside; a fingerprint lock integrally connected to the container throughthe front side such that the fingerprint lock is integrated into thehand bag proximate to an edge of the flap when the flap is folded overthe open top, the fingerprint lock having a housing having a firstopening for exposing a fingerprint identifying pad operably disposed inthe housing and a second opening for receiving the locking loop of thetab therethrough, a power operated mechanism having a moving pinoperably disposed in the housing which actuates the pin between a closedposition below the second opening to lock the locking loop throughengagement between the pin and the aperture and an open positionsufficiently disposed with respect to the second opening to not retainthe locking loop when inserted through the second opening; and acontroller that is operably disposed in the housing and connected to thefingerprint pad and power operated mechanism for closing the opening andclosing the pin based on a preprogrammed fingerprint identificationbeing met.
 11. The hand bag of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises:a removable front plate, the removable front plate having a back sideformed with a plurality of threaded apertures, wherein the housing has acomplementary number of apertures through which mounting screws areinserted in a manner and through the housing on an inner side of thehand bag to securely connect to the threaded apertures of the frontplate to sandwich a portion of the hang bag and secure the lock in placesuch that when the flap closes over the open top, the locking loop maybe inserted into the second opening to enable the pin to movetherethrough and lock the flap in a closed position.
 12. The hand bag ofclaim 11, wherein at least a portion of the hand bag comprises acut-proof material.
 13. The hand bag of claim 12, wherein the bottom andthe plurality of sides are made from the cut-proof material.
 14. Thehandbag of claim 10, which further includes a carrying strap connectedthereto.
 15. The handbag of claim 10 further comprises a zipperconnected to the plurality of sides in order to provide selectiveclosure of the open top, the zipper extending from a fixed end that issituated on a first to an openable end that is situated on a second sideopposite the first side.
 16. A hand bag with a fingerprint lock,comprising: a bottom and a plurality of sides that together define acontainer with an open top, wherein the plurality of sides comprise apair of major sides opposite one another and a pair of minor sidesopposite one another and substantially orthogonal to the pair of majorsides, the plurality of sides connected to and extending from the bottomand interconnecting to provide the container with the open top; a zipperconnecting to the open top in a manner to enable closure of the top, thezipper extending from a fixed end that is situated on one of the minorsides to an openable end that is situated on the other of the minorsides and having an end pull tab with a locking loop extendingtherefrom; a fingerprint lock integrally connected to the containerthrough the other of the minor sides of such that the lock is integratedinto the hand bag through the other of the minor sides adjacent aterminus point of the openable end, the fingerprint lock having ahousing with a removable front plate having a first opening for exposinga fingerprint identifying pad operably disposed in the housing and asecond opening for receiving the locking loop of the pull tabtherethrough, a power operated mechanism having a moving pin operablydisposed in the housing which actuates the pin between a closed positionbelow the second opening to lock the locking loop through engagementbetween the pin and the aperture and an open position sufficientlydisposed with respect to the second opening to not retain the lockingloop when inserted through the second opening; and a controller that isoperably disposed in the housing and connected to the fingerprint padand power operated mechanism for closing the opening and closing the pinbased on a preprogrammed fingerprint identification being met, where awidth profile defined by the housing of the fingerprint lock is sizedsuch that it occupies a substantial majority of the dimension of theother of the minor sides.
 17. The hand bag of claim 16, wherein theremovable front plate has a back side formed with a plurality ofthreaded apertures and the housing has a complementary number ofapertures through which mounting screws are inserted in a manner andthrough the housing on an inner side of the hand bag to securely connectto the threaded apertures of the front plate to sandwich about a portionof the hang bag and secure the lock in place such that when the zipperfully closes the open top, the locking loop may be inserted into thesecond opening to enable the pin to move therethrough and lock thezipper in a closed position.
 18. The hand bag of claim 17, wherein atleast a portion of the hand bag comprises a cut-proof material.
 19. Thehand bag of claim 18, wherein the bottom and the plurality of sides aremade from the cut-proof material.
 20. The handbag of claim 16 furthercomprising a carrying strap connected thereto.
 21. The handbag of claim16, wherein a width profile defined by the housing of the fingerprintlock is sized such that it occupies a substantial majority of thedimension of the second of the minor sides, while the width of the minorsides is less than the major sides such that the structural rigidity ofthe minor sides that is greater than the major sides coupled with thefingerprint lock occupying a substantial majority of the dimension ofthe second of the minor sides reduces exposure of the fingerprint lockto flexure-related damage thereto.
 22. A hand bag with a fingerprintlock, comprising: a bottom; one or more sides connected to and extendingfrom the bottom and interconnecting to provide a container with an opentop; a zipper connecting to said open top in a manner to enable closureof said top, said zipper having an end pull tab with a locking loopextending therefrom; a fingerprint lock integrally connected to saidhand bag having a housing with a removable front plate having a firstopening for exposing a fingerprint identifying pad operably disposed insaid housing and a second opening for receiving said locking loop ofsaid pull tab therethrough, a power operated mechanism having a movingpin operably disposed in said housing which actuates said pin between aclosed position below said second opening to lock said locking loop andan open position sufficiently disposed with respect to said secondopening to not retain said locking loop when inserted through saidsecond opening; and a controller that is operably disposed in saidhousing and connected to said battery, said fingerprint pad and poweroperated mechanism for closing said opening and closing said pin basedon a preprogrammed fingerprint identification being met.
 23. The handbag of claim 22, wherein said removable front plate has a back sideformed with a plurality of threaded apertures and said housing has acomplementary number of apertures through which mounting screws areinserted in a manner and through said housing on an inner side of saidhand bag and through said hand bag to securely connect to said threadedapertures of said front plate to sandwich about a portion of said hangbag and secure the lock in place such that when said zipper fully closessaid open top, said locking loop may be inserted into said secondopening to enable said pin to move therethrough and lock said zipper inone of a closed and open position.
 24. The handbag of claim 22, whereinsaid hand bag comprises a cut-proof material.
 25. The handbag of claim22 further comprising a carrying strap connected thereto.
 26. The handbag of claim 22 further comprising an elongated upper end forming a flapwhich extends from a back side and folds over the open top so as to layover at least a portion of the front side.